FCA Is Recalling 443,000 Heavy-Duty Ram Pickups for a Fire Risk

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is recalling 443,712 Ram pickup trucks in the United States for faulty water pumps that can potentially catch fire, the company said Tuesday.

The 2013–2017 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups as well as the chassis-cab 3500, 4500, and 5500 models have water-pump bearings that can overheat and cause a fire under the hood. Only trucks with the diesel 6.7-liter inline-six engine are affected. FCA said there have been no reported injuries or accidents; a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is not yet available. Dealers will replace the water pump at a later date. A complete fix has yet to be published.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

An FCA spokesman told Car and Driver that the automaker is “aware of a small number of incidents,” saying reports met the “regulatory definition of fire, which includes everything from a burning odor to open flame.” Of these, he said, “a smaller number involved damage,” but the reports did not involve damage beyond “the immediate area of the water pump.” Depending on which of two water-pump variants is installed in the vehicle, some vehicles will require service and some will not, the spokesman said. There have been no reports of accidents or injuries to date.

In May, FCA recalled more than 1 million late-model Ram trucks for faulty passenger airbag sensors and another 1 million plus Ram trucks in July 2015 for airbags that could inadvertently deploy.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Road & Track participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.